Is Losing Your Sense Of Smell A Coronavirus Symptom? Here's What We Know So Far
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By now, most of us can probably list the recognised symptoms of coronavirus off the top of our heads: a new, continuous cough and a fever. But if you’ve suddenly lost your sense of smell, you might be wondering if that has something to do with Covid-19, too.
Anosmia, the complete loss of ability to smell, and hyposmia, a reduced ability to smell, are yet to be listed as symptoms of the virus.
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“Like many viruses that give infections of the upper respiratory tracts, there is a range of symptoms,” NHS England’s national medical director, Steve Powis, told HuffPost UK, in relation to questions about anosmia. “The two commonest are by far cough and a fever and that is exactly why they are the two symptoms that we are asking people to self-isolate if they get those symptoms.”
However, a growing number of people are reporting a loss of smell. Some also claim to have experienced loss of taste, but academics have pointed out taste perceptions often change as the result of what we can smell.
So is this linked to coronavirus? Here’s what we know so far.
Is it likely you’ve contracted Covid-19 if you’ve lost your sense of smell?
Dr Steven Kleid, a Melbourne-based ENT and head and neck surgeon, believes anosmia should be added to the current criteria that may prompt coronavirus testing.
“One of the early symptoms [of COVID-19] that seems to be evident is significant anosmia,” he told newsGP.
“If it’s acute onset loss of sense of smell, then I think they should be treated as a coronavirus patient until proven otherwise.”
However he said anosmia symptoms can also be presented in the context of other respiratory tract infections.
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